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NOUS45 KBOU 080959
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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MST THU DEC 8 2016
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
2-17 In 1939...more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather
made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily
temperature records were set...including the all time
record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on
the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the
60`s and 70`s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or
below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a
trace of snow on the 12th.
3-15 In 1972...a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro
Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above
freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through
the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on
eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th.
Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees
below zero on the 5th...17 degrees below zero on the 6th...
and 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low
maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and
6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were
caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air
mass.
5-8 In 1983...high winds occurred in and near the foothills each
day. Wind gusts to 63 mph were registered in Golden Gate
Canyon on the evening of the 5th. On the evening of the
6th...winds knocked down trees...snapped power lines...and blew
out windows across metro Denver. Gusts were clocked to 102
mph in southwest metro Denver...while wind gusts to 38 mph
were recorded at Stapleton International Airport. On the
7th...winds overturned a tractor trailer near Castle Rock.
After midnight on the 8th...gusts to 97 mph were reported in
southeast Boulder. Wind speeds of 60 to 70 mph were
reported in other parts of metro Denver.
7-9 In 1919...an apparent Arctic cold front brought extreme cold
and light snow to the city. Snowfall totaled only 2.5
inches on the 7th and 8th. Temperatures dipped to lows
of 14 degrees below zero on the 8th and to 20 degrees below
zero on the 9th. Both readings were daily record minimums.
High temperatures were only 4 degrees on the 8th and 7
degrees on the 9th.
In 1923...a major storm dumped 13.5 inches of snowfall on
downtown Denver. The apparent post-frontal snowfall
started during the late afternoon of the 7th and continued
through the evening of the 9th. Temperatures dipped from a
high of 66 degrees on the 7th with west winds sustained to
35 mph to a low of only 14 degrees on the 9th...with north
winds sustained to 25 mph.
8 In 1880...severe winds buffeted the eastern foothills...causing
some damage in Boulder.
In 1987...high winds damaged a chimney and roof of a house
near Bergen Park in the foothills west of Denver. Gusts
were estimated to 70 mph. Northwest winds gusted to
33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
8-9 In 1943...4.5 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. This
was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds
were sustained to 26 mph on the 8th.
In 2003...snowfall totaled 3 to 6 inches across metro Denver.
Snowfall was heavier in and near the foothills with
8.0 inches measured in Boulder and 10 miles southwest of
Sedalia. Snowfall was 3.9 inches at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport. Most of the snow
fell on the 8th...as the snow ended shortly after midnight.
North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International
Airport.
In 2008...an upslope snowstorm produced heavy snow in and near
the foothills of Boulder...Jefferson and Douglas Counties...
and along the Palmer Divide south of Denver. Storm totals
in the foothills ranged from 8 to 15 inches. In Boulder
and in areas west and south of Denver...storm totals ranged
from 6 to 13 inches. The snowfall measurement at Denver
International Airport was 3.9 inches.
8-10 In 1985 a slow moving storm dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow
over the northeast plains...closing schools and businesses
in many areas along the Front Range north of Denver. At
Stapleton International Airport...snowfall totaled 9.9 inches
with a maximum snow depth of 7 inches on the ground. North
winds gusted to 24 mph. The snow caused long air traffic
delays at Stapleton International Airport on the 9th.
In 1997...persistent light to moderate snowfall combined
with strong and gusty northerly winds to produce much
blowing and drifting snow across metro Denver. The
hardest hit areas were south of Denver where north winds
at speeds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph caused near
whiteout conditions. The strong winds produced drifts
2 to 4 feet deep and dropped wind chill temperatures
well below zero. Sections of both I-25 and I-70 and other
roads were closed as travel became impossible due to
blowing snow. Numerous traffic accidents were reported and
a handful of people were stranded during the snowstorm.
Snowfall totals included: 22 inches at Conifer...13 inches
at Castle Rock...12 inches at Parker...and 8 inches in
southeast Aurora. Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at the
site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International
Airport on the 10th.
8-12 In 1932...the second longest sub-zero period on record in
Denver occurred. The temperature fell below zero shortly
after 1:00 PM on the 8th and remained below zero for 92
hours until 9:00 AM on the 12th. The lowest temperature
recorded during this period was 13 degrees below zero on
both the 9th and 11th. That temperature on the 11th was
a record low for the date. High temperatures of 4 on the
8th...5 below zero on the 9th...1 below zero on the 10th...
and 6 below zero on the 11th were record low maximum
temperatures for those dates. Light north winds at 5 to
10 mph were accompanied by occasional light snow...which
totaled only 2.2 inches.
$$